Plate Barding Armor is a technology in Age of Empires II that can be researched at the Blacksmith once the Imperial Age is reached. Once researched, it increases cavalry armor and pierce armor by +1/+2.
The Tatars and Turks have access to both Plate Barding Armor and a unique technology and civilization bonus respectively that increases the armor of Light Cavalry, resulting in the Hussars with the highest armor in the game (Tatar Hussars have higher melee and pierce armor with +1/+1, so Hussars have 4/7 armor, while Turks only the pierce armor, but for free). The Sicilians have the Cavaliers with the highest pierce armor in the game thanks to Hauberk, which increases the armor of the Knight Line by +1/+2, resulting in 6/8 armor (resulting in a higher melee armor than other Cavaliers, as well as having more armor than a Paladin). The Teutons have the Scout Cavalry and Paladin with the highest melee armor thanks to the civilization bonus that gives +1/+2 melee armor to stable units in the Castle/Imperial Age, resulting in Scout Cavalry with 5 melee armor and Paladins with 7 melee armor. Tatar Elite Steppe Lancers also have the highest armor thanks to Silk Armor, ending with 4/7 armor. Gurjara Heavy Camel Riders have the highest melee armor of all, thanks to the Imperial Age unique technology Frontier Guards, which gives +4 melee armor to Camel Riders, resulting in 7 melee armor. Burmese Elite Battle Elephants get the highest armor thanks to the civilization bonus, which gives Battle Elephants +1/+1 armor, and the unique technology Howdah, which also gives +1/+1 armor to Battle Elephants, resulting in 6/9 armor.
Availability chart[]
 Available |  Unavailable
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|---|---|
Civilization bonuses[]
Bulgarians: Plate Barding Armor costs -50% food.- Chinese: Plate Barding Armor is 15% cheaper.
- Portuguese: Researching Plate Barding Armor is 30% faster.
- Spanish: Plate Barding Armor costs no gold. Receive 20 gold after researching Plate Barding Armor.
Team bonuses[]
- Bulgarians: Researching Plate Barding Armor is 80% faster.
- Portuguese: Researching Plate Barding Armor is 25% faster.
Changelog[]
The Forgotten[]
- Indians: Can research Plate Barding Armor.
Definitive Edition[]
- With update 42848:
- Bulgarians: Initially, the team bonus makes Plate Barding Armor research 50% faster. With the update, Plate Barding Armor is researched 80% faster. Plate Barding Armor costs -50% food.
- Indians: Can no longer research Plate Barding Armor.
- Portuguese: Plate Barding Armor is researched 30% faster as a civilization bonus.
Dynasties of India[]
- Hindustanis (formerly named Indians): With update 61321, can research Plate Barding Armor again.
- Portuguese: With update 73855, Plate Barding Armor is researched 25% faster as a team bonus.
Trivia[]
- Neither of the two civilizations introduced in Dawn of the Dukes have access to Plate Barding Armor.
History[]
| “ | Armor made of large metal plates was the best defense obtainable against missiles and hand weapons. It was stronger and absorbed more energy. Large sheets of hammered steel were fashioned to fit the body of the horse. | ” |
| —Age of Empires II manual | ||
